Rule.



N0. 7ll,547. Patented Oct. 2|, I902.

J. A. TRAUT.

Y RULE.

(Application filed May 20, 1901.)

(No Model.)

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JustasflTra at, g V 'fi yiz-sflzlory,

. 0/ I Q I g THE NORRIS PETERS co moTo-Lrma, WASHINGTON, D c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JUSTUS A. TRAUT, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT.

'RU LE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 711,547, dated October 21, 1902.

Application filed May 201 1901- To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatI, J USTUS A. TRAUT, a citizen of the United States, residing in New Britain, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut,haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Rules, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to rules, and more particularly to that class of rule which is jointed to fold upon itself, and has for its object to provide a friction-plate between the contacting ends of a rule.

In rules folding up, one section swinging over another section, experience has shown that the meeting ends where they come in contact become worn out, dirt and grime, which is a natural incident to the use of rules of this general character, becoming lodged upon the faces of the rulesections, and as they are moved for the purpose of opening and closing friction of one part upon the other has a tendency to and, in fact, does obliterate the markings upon these ends of the rule, thus rendering them useless and unsightly. The natural friction of one part uponthe other as the rule is carried in the pocket has the same effect, to obviate which I have provided a rule having friction-plates at ornear its meeting ends, the object being to let the Wear come upon a part provided to receive it, and thus save the markings on the rule intact. It will also be seen that by making the friction plate of an equal thickness with the hinge-plate there will be less bending of the parts when the rule is closed, and it will present a firmer body than a rule not so prov vided.. I

" of one of the rule-sections through an attached plate.

Similar characters of reference designate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

A rule designated generally by a represents a type of rule which is adapted to be folded up upon itself somewhat after the manner of Serial No. 60,993. (No model.)

lazy-tongs, and b b designate friction-plates applied thereto.

A detached friction-plate adapted to be applied to rules, especially those made of thin materiahis shown in Fig. 2, it having substantially a fiat body portion 0, depending flanges d d, from which extend points or prongs e e. In practice either the points or the flanges may be omitted, ifdesired. The meetingpoint between the body portion and the flanges may be made rounding, if preferred.

These friction-plates are intended to be applied at or near the ends of the rule-sections and at the sides opposite the hinge portions and to be located in such manner that one plate will contact with a similar plate when the rule is being opened and closed and to remain in contact after the rule is closed. The plates may be applied by hand orIby ma f it is rounded ends. Such a construction will facilitat-e the closing of the rule, as will be apparent. It will be readily seen that these plates will prevent the parts rubbing agaiust'or wearing I one another and hold the rule-sections far enough apart that ordinary dust and grime on one section will not abrade its opposing section, and it will further serve the purpose of holding the unhinged ends of the outermost of the sections, provided it is desired to make the plates of sufficient thickness, substantially parallel with the hinged ends, thus making a more stable body when the rule is folded up. I

Although I have shown but one form of plate for carrying out my invention, yet it will be seen that any suitable form of plate applied in any manner which .practice may dictate may be employed.

Though applicable to different forms of foldable rules, I have herein shown my'present improvements as applied to a rule comprising movably-connected sections united at the end by means of substantially swivelsons; but in the use thereof the indicatingmarks on the adjacent faces of the rule-sections soon become obliterated by the rubbing together of the faces; hence the advantage of my improvements. When applied to the cheaper forms of rules-as Wooden rules, for instance-the Wear-plates at near the ends of the sections serve to prevent splitting of the sections,which frequently occurs from the rough handling to which the rule may he sometimes subjected.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. A rule comprising sections joined together by swivel-plates having flanges clam ping portions of the edges of the sections at near the ends thereof said sections each provided on the face opposite that of the other with an applied projection independently of the joints of the sections, said projections having fastening-prongs penetrating the sections and adjacent ones thereof frictionally engaging each other to prevent contact of the adjacent faces of the sections, and the same also being adapted to be carried past each other on the opening and closing of the sections.

2. In a jointed rule, the combination of sections jointed together, and friction-plates independent of the joints secured by depending points to the opposing faces of adjacent sections and at the ends thereof opposite the joints between said adjacent sections.

3. In a rule having sections jointed together, the combination of hinges adapted to hold the opposing faces apart at one end, and friction-plates on the same faces at the other end independent of the hinges and adapted to hold such ends of said faces apart.

JUSTUS A. TRAUT.

Witnesses:

H. O. HINE, F. L. TRAUT. 

